Fireworks
by sunwindandwaves
Summary: Max is bullied into letting the flock stay at the beach...typical fluff, fun to write and fun to read. Oneshot.


_Disclaimer: I don't own the Flock, or Erasers. Or, basically, anything you've already read about in the books. I do own the hot dog stand. _

I leaned back in my chair, sipping from a bottle of water and surveying the beach through half-slitted eyes. I didn't trust the crowds and didn't like our total visibility. I didn't want to come here but no! Who listens to ole' Maximum anymore these days? Not these kids, that's for sure.

We had been flying over New York City (Coney Island, more specifically) when Angel asked if we could go to the beach.

"Nope," I said. "No question. We've got a job to do, as you might remember." Just saving the world. No biggie. Nothing important.

Immediately a chorus of whining ensued. Jeez, who would raise those kids to do that? Oops. Yeah. Right. That would be me.

"Max! Aw, please! It would be so much fun! We could get ice cream and hotdogs and swim and relax and get tans!" Nudge said, all in one breath. I refused to look at her, knowing that she'd be giving me Bambi eyes, which I can't resist.

"Yeah! We could build sandcastles and catch fish and surf!" Gazzy added enthusiastically, his fuzzy blonde hair being ruffled by the breeze.

"The chicks…" Iggy said dreamily, his already unfocused eyes clearly showing that he was no longer in the present.

"Hey hey, woah woah. Let's not be too sexist pig here," I growled, hoping he would just imagine my look of disgust. That's tough to pull off with Iggy. "It'll be crowded, and hot, and there'll be mosquitoes and sunburn to look forward to if we go!" I warned.

_Fun is good, Maximum_, said the Voice. Oh, come on. The Voice in my own head turned against me. That's just plain old sad. On oh so many levels.

"Please, Max?" I turned to see Nudge, Angel and Fang giving me their saddest-eye looks. Oh no. Not me. Not this time. I glanced back with a train-wreck like fascination—you know, you don't want to see it, but you can't look away. Nudge was actually wrestling up some tears, and even Fang contrived to make his eyes look moist. Just like that I felt my willpower crumble. Crap. They got me.

So we checked into a motel on the Jersey shore, in a town officially known as Tourist Trap, USA.

And here we were on our first day of fun in the sun, me with my stomach tied in knots from claustrophobia and fear that someone might see our wings. We were all outfitted in slightly loose surf shirts, but seriously, how much protection is that against 13 foot wings? Take it from me, not much. I could practically see the feathers through the thin material, but apparently I was the only one.

The Gasman charged out of the water and shook off on me like a dog. Which was gross.

"Max! I'm hungry! Can we get hotdogs?"

"Sure. Get everyone and we'll make this lunch." My eyes scanned the beach and ocean, picking out the flock from the crowd.

Angel and Nudge were in the middle of a gaggle of kids, all splashing and riding waves and getting knocked over. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Angel coming up for air like the rest of them.

Ig was sprawled out next to me on a towel, apparently asleep. I nudged him with a foot.

"C'mon, we're getting lunch." He frowned intently.

"SH! I'm listening," he said. A high pitched giggle drifted over to us. I seized his shoulders and hauled him up, ignoring his groans of protest.

"Sexist pig," I hissed. "Gazzy, Ig, wait for me. I'll get Fang." I motioned for Angel and Nudge to come in, and they did immediately. Oh, sure, now they listen.

The Fangster was a few beaches down, attempting to catch nonexistent waves on his rented surfboard. Why I agreed to pay for that, I'll never know. But you know me, I'm just a big softie. Can't refuse those kids a thing.

As I neared the surfing beach, I saw a crowd standing and watching the surfers. At first I panicked, but then seeing that no one was screaming and running, I figured that no on had seen Fang's wings.

Then I realized the crowd was mostly girls. Presumably watching these guys surf.

I had to try very, very hard not to gag. But, given that I have rock-solid will power (at least when not confronted with those evil bambi eyes), it was only a small wince.

I spotted Fang sitting on his board in the lake smooth water.

"Yo!" I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth. "Fa—Nick! C'mon! Lunch!" Several of the groupies edged away from my loud voice, which apparently could be heard over their infernal bikini-clad giggling. I patiently ignored them.

…Just as Fang was now ignoring me. He waved cheerily and just sat there. Oho. Baaaad idea mister. My nerves were already frayed beyond belief. I rolled up my metaphorical sleeves and barreled towards the ocean, picking up speed, and dove straight in. I swam out to him, and tipped his board over, dumping him into the drink, all flailing limbs and soggy curses.

I held onto one side of the board. "I thought you might not have heard me over the giggling of your audience," I said sweetly, paddling my feet.

He glowered at me, salt water dripping down his face and hanging off his eyelashes. I kept smiling, waiting for him to cave. He started to swim, pulling the board in behind him.

Yeah! Maximum Ride doesn't get ignored by anyone!

The hot dog stand was a big metal cart with bubbling pots of what were presumably hot dogs.

The flock was jammed into the long line leading up to the cart. And when I say jammed, I mean there wasn't enough room to breathe. And we all know how much we like that.

So maybe it was claustrophobia induced paranoia, but the girl in front of us kept giving us weird looks. I crossed my arms and stared defiantly back, daring her to say something.

She looked a little like me, which might explain the weird looks, but she sure didn't have to dare to say anything. Fang, Mr. Irresistible, started chatting away to her.

"So…d'you like the beach?" he asked her. I could feel a twitch in my eye starting.

"Of course. Why else would I be here?" she asked, smiling and flipping her long hair over her shoulder. I shuddered deeply.

Fang laughed. "Good point," he conceded. "How long are you here for?" he asked her. He put one hand in his pocket and stretched the other behind his head.

"All summer," she answered. "You?"

"Not sure," he answered, glancing at me. "But I'm likin' it more here by the minute." He grinned, and the girl blushed red.

"Get me three hotdogs with ketchup," I snarled, and shoved the money into Nudge's hands. I stalked out of line, and ran back to the beach, nearly knocking over more people than I could count.

"Is that your sister?" I heard the girl ask before I was out of ear shot.

"Yeah," he said, with only a little hesitation.

I pounded through the sand and crashed through the waves into the sea. I swam out past nearly everyone, and floated on my back, face still flushed.

Breathe, Maximum, breathe, I told myself. It's no big deal. What did I care if Fang flirted? I mean, that was a good thing! We never got to see normal kids! It was a good thing!

I didn't even come close to convincing myself.

_I'm not his freakin' sister._

"Max?" Angel's sweet little girl voice came from right next to me. I guessed she swam up under water.

"Yeah, sweetie?" I asked, rolling over and treading water.

"It's OK. We're safe, we're having fun, and Fang still loves you." She smiled, well, angelically up at me.

"Eh?!" Smooth Maximum. Real suave. I swear I lost a minute off my life after that little bomb.

Angel's face went blank for a moment.

"They got the hotdogs!" she announced happily, and began to swim to shore.

That afternoon in the motel room I got part 2 of the begging/bambi eyes torture.

"Max? Can we go to the beach in the dark?" Gazzy asked. He had just taken a much-needed shower. I was the last to use the bathroom. Yeah, that's one of the many perks of being leader.

"That's not a very good idea for several reasons—"I began. Not least that there would be no people there, and no crowds (even though it's more comfortable for us) means easy Eraser attacks.

Nudge looked at me, eyes wide. NONONO--Crap. They got me again. I was really gonna have to work on resisting that. We had booked two adjoining rooms for reasons of space, so I was pretty much wondering why there was only one bathroom. I guess that's what you get when you check out the cheapest ones.

I finished my shower and wrapped myself in a towel, trying to comb out the knots in my hair in front of the bathroom mirror. The ocean had made it positively curly.

Suddenly Nudge and Angel burst through the door.

"You, my little muffins, have no concept of privacy whatsoever," I told them, steering them firmly out. What's a girl have to do to get any peace around here?

"It's Fang!" Nudge whispered. "He's all…weird!"

A pang of fear ripped through me. "What?!" Is he OK?!" I asked frantically. Oh God oh God oh God…

"Yes, but…look!"

We stuck our heads into the other room. Iggy was sprawled out on a bed sleeping, and Gazzy was watching TV, which conflicted with the sound of The Summer Obsession playing on Fang's laptop.

Fang2-D2 himself was in front of a mirror. Combing his hair. Wearing clean black jeans. And new black Cons. And a short sleeve black button down shirt, which was open to show a white T underneath. What? Oh fine. You caught me. He looked good. Real good.

For a moment I thought that maybe this sudden interest in grooming meant that he had been replaced by a clone, like I had been once. Yes folks, that's an actual concern in my life. Count your blessings.

But then I scowled. He was probably going to meet hot-dog-line girl.

I went back into the bathroom and pulled on my rattiest, most torn up jeans, and a long-sleeved t-shirt that had seen better days. No one tells me I'm mature.

I clapped my hands together and my flock looked up at me. Except for, well, Iggy. "Ok, m'darlin's, let's hit the beach!"

The sun was all but gone when we got there. It was a clear enough night to see Atlantic City sticking out into the ocean. The moon was just a tiny sliver over head, and the stars sparkled.

With a cry, Gazzy and Angel raced towards the water.

"Don't get wet!" I called after them, knowing full well that they would anyway. I could already hear the splashes.  
"C'mon, Ig, let's build a castle!" Nudge pulled Iggy towards the shoreline. "And it can have a moat and a bridge and a huuuuge tower…" I heard as they drifted away.

I dropped onto the sand. Fang stood next to me, blending perfectly into the night sky.

"How long will it last?" he asked, not looking at me.

"What?" I asked, even though I already knew. I'd been thinking about the same thing.

"This peace. Feeling safe and well fed and rested." He sat down next to me.

I trailed my hand through the cool sand, watching the kids play. "It can't last," I said finally. "They'll always hunt us, until we end this one way or another. That's why we have to finish this once and for all…and not take side trips to the beach," I ended, looking at him sideways.

"Well," he said, seeming to swallow hard. "We may as well enjoy it while it lasts." and Fang, Mr. Irresistible, voted Most Likely to Have Hoards of (Screaming) Fan Girls by the flock, leaned in towards me.

My genetically enhanced heart started going crazy, and I won't pretend it didn't, because I AM trying to get that whole lying thing under control.

His face was millimeters away. Fireworks exploded over head, lighting up the sea.

At least, I subconsciously assumed they were fireworks (my brain wasn't functioning quite up to its usual lightning speed; I blame Fang). Yes, that's right, a mind created by decades of research by the world's greatest scientific minds and 14 years of intense conditioning totally went kaput thanks to Fang…..little bugger. Of course, I snapped right back once the freakin' SHRAPNEL started raining down, accompanied by a little boy's giggle.

"DAMMIT, GAZZY!" I roared, simultaneously breaking my clean-mouth rule, and jumping up, nearly knocking Fang's teeth out as my knee collided with his jaw. 'Cause I'm just a multi-tasker that way.

I affectionately tackled the little bugger and began lecturing him about bombs on the beach, a subject I had hoped never to have to breach. The rest of the flock crowded around, Iggy high fiving Gazzy over my shoulder, Nudge holding Iggy's other hand. Fang picked up Angel and sat her on his shoulders, laughing and rubbing his chin ruefully.

I mean, c'mon, what's a girl have to do to get any peace around here?


End file.
